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CONCRETE  SCHOOL 
HOUSES 


*••  /••.:..: :" V" i'\i°< 


|_ASSD< 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE 


ASSOCIATION  OF  AMERICAN    PORTLAND 
CEMENT  MANUFACTURERS 

BELLEVUE  COURT  BUILDING,  PHILADELPHIA 


CONCRETE  FOR  PERMANENCE 


A  REQUEST  TO  THE 
READER 

FREE    HELP 


^HOULD  you  find  this  bulletin  helpful  in  building 
with  concrete,  we  would  consider  it  a  favor  to 
hwt :  Jt^ ;  so  inform  us.  Likewise,  we  would 
appreciate^  a  '  description  (and  a  photograph,  if  possible) 
of  :wfeat*y©u«haV6  built.  In  this  way  you  will  assist  us 
in  aiding  others  in  the  same  way  we  trust  we  have 
helped  you. 

If  you  do  not  fully  understand  any  part  of  this 
book,  or  if  you  desire  further  information,  we  would  be 
glad  to  have  you  write  to  the 

ASSOCIATION  OF 
AMERICAN  PORTLAND  CEMENT  MANUFACTURERS 

BELLEVUE  COURT  BUILDING,  PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 


Concrete  School  Houses 


AS  IS  the  case  in  many  of  the  institutions  of  our  country,  the  school 
J-\  house  is  the  result  of  a  process  of  evolution  or  growth  from  small 
-**  ■■*  beginnings.  Our  first  efforts  toward  education  were  carried  on  in 
private  houses  under  the  tutor  system,  in  the  "dame  school"  of  New  Eng- 
land, and  in  the  log  school  house  of  pioneer  days. 

The  school  house  has  expanded  in  size  with  the  increasing  attendance 
and  the  development  of  the  curriculum  and  educational  system.  Unfor- 
tunately, the  standards  of  construction  did  not  keep  pace  with  the  progress 
of  education.  While  the  larger  schools  were  not  built  entirely  of  frame, 
and  had  masonry  walls,  the  floor,  stairways,  and  all  the  inside  trimmings 
were  of  wood.     These  structures  were  called  "fireproof !" 

In  concrete  is  the  latest  and  probably  the  final  development  of  school 
house  construction.  The  number  of  these  buildings  is  constantly  increas- 
ing and  will  continue  to  do  so  as  their  advantages  are  more  fully  understood. 


The  Advantages  of  Concrete  in  School  Houses 
Fireproof  Qualities. — When  one  is  asked  the  chief  requirement  of  a  school 
house,  there  is  no  doubt  or  hesitancy  in  the  reply — fireproofness.  Not 
practically  fireproof  or  almost  fireproof,  but  absolutely  fireproof.  It  is 
astonishing  that  school  boards  and  officials,  who  as  fathers  give  their 
children  every  protection  that  love  can  grant,  should  authorize  the  con- 
struction of  school  houses  which,  if  not  veritable  fire-traps,  are  still  far 
from  fireproof  or  even  fire  resistant. 

The  reason  for  this  seeming  indifference  or  error  in  judgment  is  the  fact 
that  the  types  of  school  houses  which  have  been  built  for  the  past  fifty 
years  were  considered  fireproof.  That  this  is  not  the  case  is  demonstrated 
in  a  terrible  manner  in  a  catastrophe  such  as  that  of  the  fire  which  destroyed 
the  Lake  View  School  at  Collinwood,  Ohio.  In  this  building  165  children 
lost  their  lives,  and  yet  before  the  fire  doubtless  most  persons  would  have 
asserted  that  this  school  was  "practically  fireproof."  No  building,  no 
matter  of  what  the  walls  are  composed,  having  combustible  floors  can  be 

Copyright,  IQ15,  by  the  Association  of  American  Portland  Cement  Manufacturers. 

M11913 


Fig.  1. — Monolithic  Concrete  School  House,  Mineville,  N.  Y. 


considered  as  proof  against  fire  and  a  safe  place  to  shelter  children  as- 
sembled in  large  numbers. 

All  the  large  office  buildings,  banks  and  institutions  are  of  the  most 
improved  construction,  made  fireproof  by  every  known  method,  with 
ponderous  vaults  to  safeguard  books,  documents,  records  and  currency. 
In  contrast  to  this,  the  school  house  sheltering  our  children,  who  are  more 
precious  than  all  the  stored  wealth  of  the  world,  is  built  often  in  a  hap- 
hazard fashion,  without  thought  of  its  lack  of  protection  from  fire. 

That  reinforced  concrete  is  the  most  fire-resistant  construction  known 
is  conceded  by  the  foremost  engineers  and  architects.  Not  only  is  it  fire 
resistant,  but  is  a  fire  preventive.  Figure  3  shows  a  corridor  in  the  Nor- 
folk High  School.  A  glance  will  show  that  it  is  impossible  for  fire  to  spread 
along  such  a  passageway.  For  example,  should  a  fire  begin  in  the  wood- 
working shops,  which  are  at  the  right  on  this  corridor,  the  flames  would  be 
confined  to  that  one  room  owing  to  lack  of  material  for  them  to  feed  upon. 

As  an  instance  of  this  action  of  concrete  in  confining  flames  the  follow- 
ing is  interesting.  Fire  started  in  the  fourth  floor  of  the  concrete  building 
of  the  Dayton  Motor  Car  Works,  Dayton,  Ohio.  This  building  had 
been  so  recently  completed  that  automatic  fire  doors  had  not  been  installed 
to  protect  the  openings  from  the  new  building  into  an  old  five-story  first- 

2 


Fig.  2. — Lake  View  School,  Collinwood,  Ohio. 

165  Children. 


This  Fire  Cost  the  Lives  of 


class  mill  construction  building  adjoining.  The  fire  started  in  the  up- 
holstery department  on  the  fourth  floor  of  the  concrete  building,  and  after 
burning  the  contents  of  this  floor  spread  to  the  brick  building  adjoining, 
where  the  roof,  fifth  and  fourth  floors  fell  in  a  charred  mass  and  wrecked 
the  building.  The  flames  were  confined  to  the  fourth  floor  of  the  con- 
crete structure  and  the  balance  of  the  building  was  uninjured.  Within 
two  days  manufacturing  on  the  burned-out  floor  of  the  concrete  building 
was  resumed. 

The  Thos.  A.  Edison  Plant  fire  at  West  Orange,  N.  J.,  is  another  dem- 
onstration of  the  ability  of  concrete  to  withstand  fire.  Every  other  type 
of  building  which  caught  fire  was  totally  destroyed,  while  the  concrete 
structures  are  intact  and  are  being  used  again  for  manufacturing. 

The  heat  of  burning  contents  of  a  factory  imposes  a  much  severer  test 
upon  the  building  than  could  ever  occur  in  a  school  house,  which  gives  the 
latter  a  large  factor  of  safety. 

Maximum  Daylight  Available. — While  the  safety  of  concrete  is  its 
great  advantage,  there  are  other  very  attractive  points  that  claim  atten- 

3 


Fig.  3. — Corridor  in  Norfolk  High  School.     No  Opportunity  Afforded  for 

Spread  of  Fire. 

tion.  In  these  days  of  efficiency  engineering  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  the 
advantage  of  plenty  of  light  in  the  factory  and  office  and  therefore  equally 
in  the  schools.  Who  can  say  how  often  the  foundations  for  future  eye 
trouble  are  laid  in  the  dark  school-rooms  which  are  only  too  common? 

Owing  to  the  monolithic  character  of  the  concrete  walls  and  columns 
and  their  great  strength,  large  window  area  is  possible.  This  is  particularly 
true  where  a  reinforced  skeleton  system  is  employed  and  the  walls  are 
only  a  veneer  to  keep  out  the  elements.  Concrete  factories  have  window 
areas  as  high  as  85  per  cent  of  the  total  wall  area,  and  it  is  stated  by  some 
owners  that  the  large  amount  of  light  increases  their  employees'  efficiency 
five  to  ten  per  cent.  If  such  an  increase  is  possible  in  the  factory,  it  will 
be  more  than  possible  in  the  school-room.  Children  are  very  susceptible 
to  their  surroundings,  and  the  influence  of  a  bright,  well-lighted  room  can- 
not help  but  be  for  increased  efficiency. 

Sanitary  Qualities  of  Concrete. — Great  stress  is  now  laid  on  the  teach- 
ing of  hygiene  and  the  inculcation  of  sound  ideas  on  sanitation.  As  an 
object  lesson  nothing  can  be  better  than  the  example  of  a  clean,  whole- 
some, sanitary  school.  The  sanitary  qualities  of  concrete  are  self-evident. 
It  is  needless  to  say  that  a  building  entirely  of  concrete  is  absolutely 
vermin-proof.     Where  floors  join  the  walls  and  partitions  the  floor  can  be 

4 


Fig.  4. 


-Physical  Laboratory,  Norfolk  High  School.     Note  Sanitary  Concrete 
Floor  and  Absence  of  Woodwork  with  the  Exception  of  Desks. 


coved  or  filleted  so  as  to  eliminate  wooden  base-boards  and  all  cracks 
where  dust  and  dirt  may  collect.  The  comparatively  slow  conductivity 
of  heat  by  concrete  results  in  a  school  house  that  is  warm  in  winter  and 
cool  in  summer. 


Costs  of  Concrete  Construction. — The  cost  of  a  building  should  not  be 
measured  by  the  first  cost,  but  the  ultimate  cost  also  must  be  considered. 
In  first  cost  reinforced  concrete  school  houses  are  in  general  as  low  as  brick 
and  naturally  higher  than  ordinary  frame  construction.  In  some  cases 
concrete  costs  are  even  lower  than  for  brick  buildings  with  wooden  floors. 
Since  costs  are  dependent  entirely  on  local  conditions,  such  as  labor,  avail- 
ability of  materials,  etc.,  it  is  impossible  to  give  data  covering  all  localities 
and  conditions.  As  an  evidence  of  the  low  first  cost  of  concrete  the  follow- 
ing costs,  as  given  by  John  T.  Simpson,  C.  E.,  are  interesting: 

"The  Board  of  Education  at  Irvington,  N.  J.,  a  few  weeks  after  the 
Collinwood  fire,  brought  out  plans  for  the  erection  of  a  four-class-room 
building.     The  original  design  called  for  typical  brick  walls  with  wood 


Fig.  5. — Central  Avenue  Public  School,  Madison,  X.  J. 


floor  construction.  When  the  bids  were  received,  it  was  found  that  this 
building  could  be  duplicated  in  reinforced  concrete  for  three  hundred 
dollars  less  than  the  best  prices  received  on  the  basis  of  brick  and  wood, 
and,  as  a  result,  to  the  town  of  Irvington,  N.  J.,  must  be  given  the  credit 
of  being  the  first  to  adopt  this  type  of  construction  for  public  schools  in 
this  section  of  the  country.  After  several  years  of  service,  the  building 
has  proved  so  satisfactory  that  they  have  adopted  this  method  of  construc- 
tion for  all  new  school  houses. 

"While  this  building  was  in  progress  of  construction  the  members  of 
the  Board  of  Education  of  Summit,  N.  J.,  who  were  planning  to  erect  a 
nine-class-room  and  assembly-room  building,  visited  the  work  and  were 
so  well  pleased  with  the  construction  that  they  adopted  reinforced  con- 
crete for  their  new  Lincoln  School. 

"  The  neighboring  town  of  Chatham,  N.  J.,  a  few  months  later,  obtained 
bids  on  both  brick  and  wood  and  reinforced  concrete.  The  result  of  the 
bidding  showed  that  a  reinforced  concrete  building  could  be  built  for  the 
same  price  as  the  building  of  brick  and  wood.  Unfortunately,  however, 
as  is  often  the  case,  the  appropriation  was  made  before  the  plans  were 
drawn,  and  as  the  bids  for  a  brick  and  wood  building  were  taken  on  sepa- 
rate items,  the  Board  was  able  to  contract  for  as  much  of  the  building  as 
the  appropriation  would  provide  for,  and  later  made  another  appropria- 
tion to  finish  the  work.     This  building  is  an  exact  duplicate,  in  floor  plan, 

6 


Fig.  6. — Lincoln  School,  Summit,  N.  J. 

of  the  building  adopted  about  the  same  time  by  the  Board  of  Education 
at  Madison,  N.  J.,  for  their  Central  Avenue  School,  and  which  building  was 
built  of  reinforced  concrete. 

"It  should  be  noted  that  in  the  Chatham  building  the  second-story 
walls  were  but  eight  inches  thick,  the  cornices  were  made  of  wood,  the 
flashings  of  tin  and  the  ceilings  of  stamped  metal  in  order  to  keep  the  cost 
as  low  as  possible ;  but,  notwithstanding  this,  the  price  for  the  reinforced 
concrete  building  was  no  more  than  that  paid  for  the  brick  and  wood 
structure. 

"At  Millburn,  N.  J.,  competitive  bids  were  taken  on  brick  and  wood 
and  reinforced  concrete  on  a  four-class-room  building.  The  average  bid  on 
the  brick  and  wood  basis  was  five  thousand  dollars  higher  than  the  price  on 
the  reinforced  concrete  basis.  One  bid,  however,  on  the  brick  and  wood 
was  about  the  same  as  the  price  on  the  concrete  basis.  The  Board  de- 
cided in  favor  of  the  reinforced  concrete  building. 

"Perhaps  the  best  example  of  what  can  be  done  in  reinforced  concrete 
was  the  result  of  the  bidding  on  Public  School  No.  11,  at  Bayonne,  N.  J. 
As  this  building  is  larger,  the  comparison  would  necessarily  be  better. 


Fig.  7. — Roslyn  Faems  School,  Carnegie,  Pa.     Splendid  Example  of  Small  Con- 
crete School  House — Cost  $3,000  Complete. 


This  building  contains  twenty-seven  class-rooms,  teachers'  and  principal's 
rooms,  library  and  an  assembly  hall  seating  one  thousand  people.  This 
does  not  include  any  of  the  rooms  in  the  basement,  several  of  which  are 
used  for  class  purposes. 

"The  lowest  bid  received  on  the  basis  of  brick  and  wood  was  $132,- 
700.00.  The  contract  for  the  construction  of  the  building  was  awarded  on 
the  reinforced  concrete  basis  for  $111,000.00— a  saving  of  $21,700.00. 
All  bids  were  without  heating  and  plumbing  work." 

While  first  cost  is  the  cost  that  is  usually  considered,  the  maintenance 
charges  are  also  of  importance. 

Concrete  buildings  require  practically  no  maintenance  for  the  structure 
proper.  It  should  not  be  considered  that  concrete  is  suitable  only  for 
large  schools,  for  it  can  be  utilized  in  small  structures  which  otherwise 
would  be  built  of  wood.  Aside  from  the  question  of  fireproof ness,  it  is  here 
that  maintenance  costs  are  of  importance.  The  wooden  structure  needing 
regular  painting  and  the  replacing  of  rotting  boards  is  a  constantly  increas- 
ing expense,  in  striking  contrast  to  concrete,  which,  besides  needing  no 
repairs  or  maintenance  when  new,  actually  grows  stronger  with  age. 


-Norfolk   High   School   under  Construction.     Reinforced   Concrete 
Skeleton  and  Floors  with  Brick  Veneer. 

Appearance. — On  the  score  of  appearance  there  now  need  be  no  hesita- 
tion in  deciding  on  concrete.  In  every  locality  there  is  some  work  in  con- 
crete which  shows  its  possibility  in  securing  a  surface  and  form  that  is 
pleasing  to  the  eye.  These  demonstrate  that  no  longer  can  it  be  said  that 
concrete  surfaces  present  a  cold,  uninviting  appearance.  By  employing 
suitable  aggregates  and  by  finishing  the  surface  with  scrubbing,  tooling,  or 
sand  blasting,  there  is  produced  a  surface  uniform  in  texture  and  color. 
These  operations  expose  the  aggregates  to  give  the  desired  color,  which, 
of  course,  depends  upon  the  original  color  of  the  sand  and  stone. 

The  use  of  colored  tile  inserts  and  simple,  dignified  architectural  details 
supply  all  the  ornamentation  needed.  Ornamental  band  courses  and 
entablatures  over  windows  and  doors  are  possible  with  concrete,  and  the 
most  elaborate  undercut  details  can  be  employed  where  required  by  the 
architectural  design. 


Types  of  Concrete  Construction  for  Schools 

Several  types  of  concrete  construction  are  utilized  in  school-house  build- 
ing. The  one  best  suited  for  each  particular  case  depends  on  the  size  of 
building,  layout,  and  local  conditions. 

Monolithic   Concrete. — In  a  monolithic  school  house  there  need  be 
absolutely  no  wood  other  than  furniture,  desks  and  chairs,  so  that  there  is 

9 


Fig.  9. — High  School,  Fort  Worth,  Texas.     Concrete  Floors  and  Skeleton. 

practically  nothing  inflammable  in  the  building.  The  walls,  floors,  beams, 
and  columns  are  all  of  concrete  reinforced  with  steel  in  the  form  of  rods, 
wire  mesh,  or  expanded  metal.  Partitions  are  of  concrete  or  cement 
plaster  on  metal  lath.  Stairways  are  also  of  reinforced  concrete;  one  or 
more  preferably  enclosed  with  concrete  walls  so  as  to  form  a  "  tower  fire- 
escape."  Such  a  stairway  would  allow  children  on  the  upper  floors  to 
descend  safely  to  the  street  even  though  an  intermediate  floor  was  a  mass 
of  flame.  The  best  construction  calls  for  metal  doors  and  interior  trim, 
metal  window-sash  and  frames,  and,  where  necessary,-  windows  equipped 
with  wire  glass. 

A  building  constructed  in  the  manner  described  is  practically  a  mono- 
lith; the  walls,  floors,  beams  and  columns  being  all  tied  together  by  con- 
crete and  steel.  Such  structures,  when  tested  in  conflagrations,  earth- 
quakes, and  cyclones,  have  demonstrated  that  reinforced  concrete  is  the 
safest  and  most  enduring  construction  known  to  man. 


Reinforced  Concrete  Skeleton. — It  is  sometimes  the  case  that  a  new 
building  must  be  erected  to  conform  in  appearance  to  older  structures, 
having  walls  of  brick,  stone  or  other  material — or  architectural  considera- 

10 


Fig.  10. — Concrete  Block  School  House,  Stuart,  Florida. 
i 
tions  demand  the  use  of  such  walls.     Under  these  conditions  it  is  possible 
to  retain  most  of  the  advantages  of  monolithic  construction  and  still  com- 
ply with  the  requirements. 

This  is  done  by  building  floors,  beams  and  columns  of  reinforced  con- 
crete, forming  a  skeleton  frame  upon  which  is  installed  the  walls,  consisting 
of  a  veneer  of  the  desired  material,  properly  tied  to  the  concrete  members. 
In  this  construction  the  walls  bear  none  of  the  load  of  the  floors  and  act 
merely  as  curtain  walls  to  keep  out  the  elements.  As  the  strength  of  the 
building  is  independent  of  the  walls,  large  window  areas  can  be  provided 
for,  as  before  mentioned. 


Concrete  Blocks. — In  many  rural  and  suburban  sections,  the  small 
number  of  pupils  requires  only  a  small  school  house  of  one  or  two  stories, 
with  only  a  few  class-rooms.  It  is  too  often  the  case  that  such  structures 
are  of  frame  construction,  requiring  constant  repairs  and  are  always  in 
danger  from  fire.  Concrete  blocks  are  especially  fitted  for  such  structures. 
No  wall  forms  are  required  and  the  costs  are  very  low.  Blocks  with  air 
spaces  are  utilized,  giving  a  wall  that  has  excellent  insulating  properties 
against  heat  and  cold.  Such  walls,  however,  are  always  furred,  lathed  and 
plastered  on  the  interior  face  to  prevent  any  possibility  of  condensation. 

Needless  to  say,  the  best  principles  of  concrete  block  school-house  con- 

11 


Fig.  11. — Jefferson  School,  Salt  Lake  City.     Monolithic  Reinforced  Concrete. 

struction  call  for  concrete  floors — reinforced  if  self-supporting — and  con- 
crete stairways.  A  school  house  with  wooden  floors  cannot  be  considered 
fireproof.  The  forms  for  floors  are  very  simple  and  not  costly,  consisting 
merely  of  a  temporary  wooden  floor  supported  by  wooden  studs — all  of 
which  are  removed  when  the  concrete  becomes  self-supporting.  The  floor 
forms  then  are  used  for  upper  floors  or  for  other  purposes. 

Where  the  appearance  of  concrete  blocks  is  objected  to,  Portland 
cement  stucco  can  be  applied  to  the  outer  surface  of  the  blocks — which  in 
this  case  are  made  with  plain  flat  face.  The  prejudice  against  the  appear- 
ance of  blocks  is  now  abating  to  a  large  extent,  because  of  the  improve- 
ments in  manufacture  which  secure  a  more  pleasing  surface  and  avoid  the 
imitation  of  other  materials.  Very  pleasing  color  effects  can  be  secured 
by  the  use  of  stucco,  without,  of  course,  affecting  any  of  the  desirable 
qualities  of  block  construction. 

The  different  types  of  concrete  school  houses  are  each  adapted  to 
certain  conditions,  but  all  fulfil  the  paramount  requirement,  that  of  safety 
from  fire  risk  to  child  life. 


12 


RETURN       CIRCULATION  DEPARTMENT 

TO  ■#•       202  Ma  i  n  L  i  bra  ry                         642-3403 

LOAN  PERIOD  1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

LIBRARY   USE 

This  book  is  due  before  closing  time  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 

DUE  AS  STAMPED  BELOW 

^^m 

u  n  y 

91977      «    ' 

J* ..cay  may! 

FORM  NO.  DD  6A,  1 2m,  676        UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  BERKELEY 

BERKELEY,  CA  94720 

|                                                                                                                              ®' 

M11912 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


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...^d 


